Cooled instrument panel compartment for a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A glove box assembly for a vehicle is provided. The glove box assembly includes a storage bin and a dedicated climate controlled bin. The climate controlled bin is arranged to receive cooled air from a vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit for cooling the climate controlled bin independent of the storage bin. The glove box assembly further includes a cooled air inlet. The cooled air inlet is arranged to draw cooled air from the HVAC unit upstream of a blend door when air conditioning is operating so as to provide cooled air to the climate controlled bin independent of a vehicle cabin temperature setting.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a cooled instrument panelcompartment for a vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Motor vehicles today are used for many purposes including commuting andtrips of long duration. During such trips, for example, vehicleoccupants often bring food and chilled beverages for consumption andsuch beverages are typically placed in various cup holders provided intoday's vehicles. One disadvantage of the typical cup holders is thatthe chilled beverages often warm up to ambient vehicle temperaturebefore or during their consumption. To counteract this disadvantage, acooler is sometimes used by vehicle occupants to keep their beveragescool before consumption. Using such a cooler however, requires usingvehicle space that could be used by an occupant or placing the cooler ina vehicle.

Thus, there is a need for a cooled instrument panel compartment thatovercomes the aforementioned and other disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Accordingly, a cooled instrument panel compartment for a vehicle isprovided. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, aglove box assembly is provided and includes a storage bin and adedicated climate controlled bin. The climate controlled bin is arrangedto receive cooled air from a vehicle heating, ventilation and airconditioning (HVAC) unit for cooling the climate controlled binindependent of the storage bin.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the glove boxassembly includes a cooled air inlet. The cooled air inlet is arrangedto draw cooled air from the HVAC unit upstream of a blend door when airconditioning is operating so as to provide cooled air to the climatecontrolled bin independent of a vehicle cabin temperature setting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more fully apparent from the following detailed description ofthe preferred embodiment, the appended claims, and in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle glove box assembly having a dedicatedclimate controlled bin in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified view of a HVAC assembly interacting withthe dedicated climate controlled bin of the glove box assembly inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a partial front view of the dedicated climate controlbin having a removable liner in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMIENT(S)

In the following description, several well-known features of aninstrument panel and glove box are not shown or described so as not toobscure the present invention. Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a glove box assembly 10incorporated into an instrument panel module 20 in accordance with thepresent invention.

Glove box assembly 10 includes a door 30 arranged to pivot between aclosed position and an open position as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Inthe open position, door 30 provides access to a storage bin 40 and adedicated climate controlled bin 50. The climate controlled bin 50 is aseparate bin and functions independently from storage bin 40.

The dedicated climate controlled bin 50 has a rectangular shape and isarranged to interact with a vehicle HVAC system 60 (FIG. 2) to provideselective cooled air to the climate controlled bin 50 while not coolingthe storage bin 40. The climate controlled bin 50 includes a seal 70positioned on an outer perimeter of the bin and arranged to engage door30 when door 30 is in a closed position. Alternatively, seal 70 could bepositioned on door 30 so as to engage the outer perimeter of climatecontrolled bin 50 when door 30 is in the closed position.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the dedicated climate controlled bin includesan air inlet 80 arranged to be connected to a hose 90 that is connectedto HVAC system 60 for providing the climate controlled bin withselective cooled air from HVAC system 60. Hose 90 is connected to HVACsystem 60 down stream of an evaporator 100, but upstream of a blend airdoor 110 so as to provide cooled air to the dedicated climate controlledbin 50 when an air conditioning (AC) system is on regardless of avehicle cabin temperature setting. More specifically, by placing hose 90upstream of blend air door 110 and thus heater core 120, so long as theAC is on, hose 90 receives cooled air regardless of any warm air fromthe heater core 120 that is blended via the blend air door 110 toachieve a desired cabin temperature setting.

Air inlet 80 directs cooled air into an upper portion 130 of thededicated climate controlled bin 50. Upper portion 130 is separated froma lower portion 140 by an internal, adjustable air vent arrangement 150.The internal venting arrangement 150 includes a perforated panel 160fixed to climate controlled bin 50 and a translatable perforated panel170 arranged to cooperate with fixed perforated panel 160 to open orblock cooled air from upper portion 130 to lower portion 140. Morespecifically, translatable panel 170 is arranged to slide so as to alignperforations 165 and 175 of panels 160 and 170, respectively, and thusallow cooled air into lower portion 140 and thus cool any contents ofthe dedicated climate controlled bin 50, or to have the perforations 175of translatable panel 170 not align with the perforations 165 of fixedpanel 160 so as to block off cooled air from upper portion 130 and notcool the dedicated climate controlled bin 50. A vehicle operator cantranslate panel 170 via a handle arrangement, such as handle 180 shownin FIGS. 1 and 2.

The climate controlled bin 50 also includes a removable liner 200.Removable liner 200 can comprise many configurations depending on whattype of contents are desired to be cooled in the climate controlled bin.In this exemplary embodiment, removable liner 200 includes four scallops210 arranged to receive beverage containers and prevent the containersfrom rolling in the dedicated climate controlled bin 50 as best shown inFIG. 3. Scallops 210 are sized such that typical beverage containerssuch as a 12 ounce can or a 20 ounce plastic bottle are held in placeand up to four or either container can be easily placed and cooled inthe dedicated climate controlled bin 50.

In operation, the dedicated climate controlled bin effectively providesa built in cooler for a vehicle that is incorporated into a glove boxassembly while remaining independent from a storage area of the glovebox assembly. With the dedicated climate controlled bin, a vehicleoccupant can continue to use the storage area of the glove box whilealso being able to selectively cool desired items in a separate binindependent from the glove box storage area which will not receive thecooled air.

The vehicle occupant can also cool desired items in the dedicatedclimate controlled bin with the AC on regardless of a desired vehiclecabin temperature. Thus, even if a vehicle occupant selects a cabintemperature that requires blending warm air with air conditioned air,the dedicated climate controlled bin will only receive cooled air fromthe HVAC unit because the dedicated climate controlled bin receives thecooled air from upstream of the blend air door.

The foregoing description constitutes the embodiments devised by theinventors for practicing the invention. It is apparent, however, thatthe invention is susceptible to modification, variation, and change thatwill become obvious to those skilled in the art. Inasmuch as theforegoing description is intended to enable one skilled in the pertinentart to practice the invention, it should not be construed to be limitedthereby but should be construed to include such aforementioned obviousvariations and be limited only by the proper scope or fair meaning ofthe accompanying claims.

1. A glove box assembly for a vehicle, the glove box assemblycomprising: a storage bin; and a dedicated climate controlled bin;wherein the climate controlled bin is arranged to receive cooled airfrom a vehicle HVAC unit for cooling the climate controlled binindependent of the storage bin.
 2. The glove box assembly of claim 1,further comprising a door arranged to pivot between an open position anda closed position, wherein the open position is arranged to provideaccess to the storage bin and the climate controlled bin and the closedposition is arranged to provide closure for the storage bin and climatecontrolled bin.
 3. The glove box assembly of claim 2, further comprisinga seal positioned on an outer perimeter of the climate controlled bin,the seal arranged to engage the door in the closed position providing athermal barrier for cooled air contained within an enclosed volume ofthe climate controlled bin.
 4. The glove box assembly of claim 2,further comprising a seal positioned on the door and arranged to engagean outer perimeter of the storage bin to seal the storage bin to thedoor and provide a thermal barrier for cooled air contained within anenclosed volume of the climate controlled bin.
 5. The glove box assemblyof claim 2, wherein the dedicated climate controlled bin furthercomprises an internal door arrangement arranged to selectively block aflow of cooled air from the vehicle HVAC unit.
 6. The glove box assemblyof claim 2, further comprising a cooled air inlet arranged to receivecooled air from the vehicle HVAC unit.
 7. The glove box assembly ofclaim 6, wherein the cooled air inlet is arranged to draw cooled airfrom the HVAC unit upstream of a blend door when air conditioning isoperating so as to provide cooled air to the climate controlled binindependent of a vehicle cabin temperature setting.
 8. The glove boxassembly of claim 2, further comprising a removable liner.
 9. The glovebox assembly of claim 8, wherein the liner comprises a scallop arrangedto support a beverage container and prevent the container from rollingduring vehicle operation.
 10. The glove box assembly of claim 9, whereinthe liner comprises four scallops arranged to support four beveragecontainers.
 11. An instrument panel module for a vehicle, the instrumentpanel module comprising: a glove box assembly, the glove box assemblyincluding: a storage bin; and a dedicated climate controlled bin;wherein the climate controlled bin is arranged to receive cooled airfrom a vehicle HVAC unit for cooling the climate controlled binindependent of the storage bin.
 12. The glove box assembly of claim 11,further comprising a door arranged to pivot between an open position anda closed position, wherein the open position is arranged to provideaccess to the storage bin and the climate controlled bin and the closedposition is arranged to provide closure for the storage bin and climatecontrolled bin.
 13. The glove box assembly of claim 12, furthercomprising a seal positioned on an outer perimeter of the climatecontrolled bin, the seal arranged to engage the door in the closedposition providing a thermal barrier for cooled air contained within anenclosed volume of the climate controlled bin.
 14. The glove boxassembly of claim 12, further comprising a cooled air inlet arranged toreceive cooled air from the vehicle HVAC unit.
 15. The glove boxassembly of claim 14, wherein the cooled air inlet is arranged to drawcooled air from the HVAC unit upstream of a blend door when airconditioning is operating so as to provide cooled air to the climatecontrolled bin independent of a vehicle cabin temperature setting. 16.The glove box assembly of claim 12, further comprising a removable linerhaving a scallop arranged to support a beverage container and preventthe container from rolling during vehicle operation.
 17. The glove boxassembly of claim 11, wherein the dedicated climate controlled binfurther comprises an internal door arrangement arranged to selectivelyblock a flow of cooled air from the vehicle HVAC unit.
 18. A vehicle,the vehicle comprising: a glove box assembly, the glove box assemblyincluding: a storage bin; a dedicated climate controlled bin; and adoor, the door arranged to pivot between an open position and a closedposition, wherein the open position is arranged to provide access to thestorage bin and the climate controlled bin and the closed position isarranged to provide closure for the storage bin and climate controlledbin; wherein the climate controlled bin is arranged to receive cooledair from a vehicle HVAC unit for cooling the climate controlled binindependent of the storage bin.
 19. The glove box assembly of claim 18,further comprising a cooled air inlet, the cooled air inlet is arrangedto draw cooled air from the HVAC unit upstream of a blend door when airconditioning is operating so as to provide cooled air to the climatecontrolled bin independent of a vehicle cabin temperature setting. 20.The glove box assembly of claim 18, further comprising a removable linerhaving a scallop arranged to support a beverage container and preventthe container from rolling during vehicle operation.